For Immediate Release
Mary Jane Williamson, Communications director, 703-519-9691, x227 mjwilliamson@asafishing.org
Senate Supplemental Appropriations Bill Provides Gulf Oil Leak Disaster Fisheries Assistance
Sportfishing industry thanks Alabama’s Senator Shelby for his amendment that provides financial relief for fishery-dependent businesses
Alexandria, VA – May 28, 2010 – The sportfishing industry applauds Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), ranking member of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, for including funding for fishery-dependent businesses harmed by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the U.S. Senate’s 2010 Supplemental Appropriations bill. The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) worked with Shelby’s office to include language in the amendment recognizing the disaster’s impact on recreational fishing-dependent businesses and the need for baseline information about the fisheries status and the impact on the Gulf eco-system. ASA also urged other Members of the Senate to support Shelby’s amendment.
Shelby’s amendment comes on the heels of the May 24, fisheries disaster declaration by Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke. Upon a fisheries disaster declaration, Congress must appropriate funds for the affected communities.
The amendment includes:
- $15 million for the fisheries disaster declaration in the Gulf.
- $10 million for an expanded stock assessment of the Gulf fisheries, including, but not limited to, commercial and recreational catch and biological sampling, observer programs, data management and processing, conducting assessments and follow-up evaluations.
- $1 million for the Secretary of Commerce to require a National Academy of Sciences study on the long-term ecosystem service impacts of the spill on the Gulf. In particular, it would assess long-term costs to water filtration, hunting, fishing (commercial and recreational) and other economic values associated with the Gulf.
“The sportfishing industry thanks Senator Shelby for recognizing the enormous scope of this disaster and introducing his amendment to the appropriations bill,” said ASA President and CEO Mike Nussman. “Of the 2,300 tackle dealers in the Gulf region, at least 700 have been severely impacted economically by this disaster which will have a ripple effect throughout the industry.”
“We have had a continuous dialog with the administration, Member of Congress, the Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration about the need and importance of specifically including recreational fishing-dependent businesses in any disaster assistance, as well as funding for fisheries monitoring and research,” said ASA Vice President Gordon Robertson. “We believe we’ve made progress with Senator Shelby’s amendment in the appropriations bill and by Secretary Locke specifically mentioning recreational fishing in the fishery disaster declaration. We will continue to push for funding in the supplemental bill currently being considered by the House of Representatives.”
ASA sent letters to Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations urging that they address and mitigate the impacts on the recreational fishing-dependent business community.
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The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is the sportfishing industry’s trade association, committed to looking out for the interests of the entire sportfishing community. We give the industry a unified voice speaking out when emerging laws and policies could significantly affect sportfishing business or sportfishing itself. We invest in long-term ventures to ensure the industry will remain strong and prosperous as well as safeguard and promote the enduring economic and conservation values of sportfishing in America. ASA also represents the interests of America’s 60 million anglers who generate over $45 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation’s economy creating employment for over one million people.
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